Case Study: Sniffer Robotics accelerates drone development for methane monitoring with Protolabs 3D printing

Sniffer Robotics has developed an innovative drone that can circle landfills and monitors for fugitive methane gas emissions

Sniffer Robotics, a company developing a drone to monitor methane emissions from landfills, faced challenges in prototyping custom parts for its system. Their initial makeshift components were unreliable and caused hardware issues during test flights, putting their development schedule at risk. They turned to Protolabs, which provided industrial-grade 3D printing services through its Cool Idea Award program.

Using Protolabs' stereolithography 3D printing, the vendor manufactured four types of durable, custom polycarbonate-like parts for the drone. This solution accelerated Sniffer Robotics' hardware process ahead of schedule, allowing them to quickly develop a reliable, high-quality product to demo. With the help from Protolabs, the company created a robust system that will enhance the accuracy and efficiency of landfill emissions management once it receives EPA approval.

Sniffer Robotics